Electric circuit breaker



Aug. 11, 1936. 11, E, STRANG Y 2,050,864

ELECTRIC CIRCUIT BREAKER Filed March 8, 1954 His ttorneg.

Patented Aug. 11, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFEQE ELECTRIC CIRCUITBREAKER Harold E. Strang, South Ardmore, Pa., assgnor to GeneralElectric Company, a corporation of My invention relates to electriccircuit breakers, more particularly to means for positioning andmounting the operating mechanism with respect to the main circuitbreaker housing.

Heretofore it has been the usual practice in manufacturing andassembling oil circuit breakers to design two separate units, namely,the oil circuit breaker proper and the operating mechanism therefor, andto assemble these units as by bolting to a common frame orinterconnecting structure. This arrangement necessitates the use ofadditional cranks and interconnecting links for the circuit breaker andoperating mechanisms, requires an appreciable amount of space and isgenerally awkward in appearance.

A principal object of my invention is the provision of an improvedcircuit breaker structure wherein the circuit breaker and operatingmechanism therefor comprise a compact, simple and rugged unit.

My invention will be more fully set forth in the following descriptionreferring to the accompanying drawing, and the features of novelty whichcharacterize my invention will be pointed out with particularity in theclaims annexed to and forming a part of this specication.

Referring to the drawing, Fig. 1 is a perspective View illustrating anoil circuit breaker embodying the present invention with the oil tankfor the contact structure removed, and Fig. 2 is an elevationalsectional View of the complete oil circuit breaker.

The circuit breaker illustrated by Figs. 1 and 2 comprises in general ahousing including an oil tank I and a cover member or dome 2 in whichthe relatively movable contact structure 3 is disposed. Operativelyconnected to the contact structure within the circuit breaker housingand carried by the cover structure is a solenoid operated mechanism 4.The operating mechanism is connected in a manner hereinafter describedto the movable contacts or bridging members 5 so as to cause verticalreciprocal movement thereof with respect to the coacting stationarycontacts 6.

The circuit breaker contact structure forms no part of the presentinvention, and as illustrated, may be of the well known oil-blast typewherein the relatively movable contacts which are immersed in oilcontained in the tank I, separate within a pressure chamber l. A sidewall 8 of the pressure chamber i is provided with a relief opening 9 foreach phase disposed opposite one of the breaks so that the arcingpressure generated within said chamber causes a blast of oil across saidbreak and through the relief opening. The

1934, Serial No. 714,561

lead-in conductors Ill connected to the stationary contacts 6 aremounted in insulating bushings I I which are mounted in and extendthrough the dome 2.

The solenoid operating mechanism 4 and the 5 dome 2 are constructed soas to comprise a substantially unitary structure which is very compactand eliminates all cranks and linkages other than those normallyrequired for effecting a circuit closing operation. To this end the dome2 10 is provided with a horizontal plate-like flange I2 forming alateral extension I2 which is the main support for the actuatingsolenoid I3 of the operating mechanism. The dome 2 has likewiseintegrally secured thereto, as by welding, a pair 15 of spacedplate-like members I4. The plates I4 which are arranged substantiallyparallel with respect to each other are vertically positioned above theextension I2' and are welded thereto as indicated at I4'. As illustratedby Fig. 2, the 20 plates I 4 are disposed at opposite sides of a pocket2 formed in the side of the dome 2 and serve as means for mounting andpositioning the linkage structure I5 of the operating mechanism.

The operating mechanism per se may be of any 25 suitable type and by wayoi example, there is illustrated the type of solenoid operatingmechanism specically disclosed and claimed in Thumin Patent 1,827,626for Switch operating mechanism, granted October 13, 1931. The solenoiditself 30 comprises a coil I6 and plunger El' having an extension I'Ifor engaging the linkage structure l5. The magnetic circuit of thesolenoid comprises a base member I8, a cylindrical shell EQ and theextension I2' which is abutted by the shell I9, the 35 aforesaidelements of the magnetic circuit being of course of suitable magneticmaterial. The solenoid is suitably suspended beneath the extension I2 asby bolts 25 coacting with the extension I2' and base plate I8. 40

The linkage structure i5 which is mounted above the extension I2 andbetween the plates I4 comprises a thrust transmitting toggle 2l, atripping toggle 22 coacting with a trigger 23 and trip coil 24 and aprop 25 mounted so as to engage 45 a roller 25 connected to the toggle2l for maintaining said toggle rigid. The linkage 2l is connected to adouble-arm crank 2l pivoted as at 28, the shaft comprising the pivot 23mounted in and extending through the plates I4 as illustrated by 50Fig. 1. Openings 29 are provided in the plates I4 for the free end ofthe crank 2T and the pin 30 which connects the same to the linkagestructure I5.

The linkage within the circuit breaker dome for 55 effecting reciprocalvertical movement of the lift rods 3| of the movable contacts maylikewise comprise any suitable arrangement, as a linkage 32 connected tothe other arm of the crank 2l for imparting substantially straight-linemovement to the lift rod 3l. A piston arrangement 33 subject to thepressure within the chamber l is connected as by a link 34 to theaforesaid linkage for imparting an accelerating force to the mechanismupon opening of the circuit.

Accordingly, as clearly illustrated by Fig. 1, the

complete circuit breaker mechanism including the relatively movablecontact structure and the operating means therefor forms with the domemember a simple, rugged and compact unit.

It should be understood that my invention is not limited to specicdetails of construction and arrangement thereof herein illustrated,andrthat' changes and modications may occury to oneV skilled in the artwithout departing fromthe spirit of my invention` What-I claim as newanddesire to secure by Letters Patent of theUnited States is:

1. An electric circuit breaker comprising rela'- tively'movable contactstructure, a housingv therefor including a cover member' having ailangelike horizontal portion forming an extension laterally of saidcover member, spaced members secured to said'. extension and saidy covermember and forming aY unitary structure therewith, and operatingmechanism for said Contact' structure in part depending from saidextension and inpart mounted between said spaced members.

2. An electric circuit breaker comprising relatively movable contactstructure, a housing therefor including a dome cover member having ahorizontal flange-like lateral extension, spaced substantially parallelplate-like members secured to said dome-member and positionedfabove saideX- tension and forming therewith an'integral structure, and operatingmechanism fo-r said contact structure carried by'said cover member, said0p'- erating mechanism in part depending from said extension andincluding linkage structuremounted in and positioned between saidplate-like members.

3. An. electric circuit breaker comprising relatively movable Contactstructure, a housing therefor including a dome cover member, said domemember having a horizontal ange forming an extension laterally of saiddome member, spaced substantially parallel plate-like members secured tosaid dome member and said extension and forming therewith an integralstructure, and operating mechanism in part depending from said extensionand mounted ini part'v between said plate-like members.

4. An electric circuit breaker comprising relatively movable contactstructure, a housing therefor inc'ludinga'cover member, said covermember having a horizontal plate-like extension, and operatingmechanism,` said mechanism including a solenoid supported by anddepending from said extension, and linkage structure mounted above said.extension operatively connected to said contact structure.

5. An electric circuit breaker comprising relativelymovable.contactstructure` a metallic' housing` therefor, a horizontalplate-like extension;v composed of magnetic material integrally joined'to a portion of said housing, an operatingfmechanism including anactuating solenoidoperatively connected to said contactstructure, saidsolenoid, having a housing of magnetic materialsupportedby and mountedbeneath said extensionplate` in abutting relation so that said plate'forms with" said solenoid housing aportionfof the magnetic circuit ofsaid solenoid.

6. An electric circuit breakerfcomprising relatively movable contactstructureVa housing therefor including a dome cover'member, said'domemember provided with a horizontal plateelike'ex'-V tension integrallyjoined thereto, spaced substantially parallel-plate-like membersintegrallyjoined to said dome member and said extension, operatingmechanism including an actuatingA solenoid supported by and dependingfrom said'vextension; and linkage structurev operatively connected* tosaid solenoid andv contact structure mounted', above said extension andbetween said plate-like members, said plate-like members providingbear-- ings for said linkage structure.

HAROLD E. STRANG.

